The Totalitarian State

A place where freedom's lacking, and where all must toe the line,
Where government is a tyranny, and a far cry from benign.
Everyone is spied on, and's aware that they're being watched,
And thoughts of independence will be very quickly scotched.
No-one trusts their neighbour, and are wary of their friends,
For often on discretion there, their very life depends,
In countries where an idle word can lead to their arrest,
As many people from the past can vividly attest.
The censor checks on writers, and they can't write what they please,
On much creative literature, there is a total freeze.
Bureaucracy is everywhere, and permits must be sought
For every little thing desired - a process often fraught
With long delays, and awkwardness, demands for money too;
Rejections tend to dominate, permissions being few.
Knowing what is going on within the world at large,
Is often quite forbidden by decree of those in charge.
Travelling abroad's a thing that's very often banned,
Except in special cases, they can never leave their land.
Telephones are often tapped; the government wants to know,
,Not only who you talk to, but also where you go,
Many people live in fear; they never can relax,
For there is never any time they need not watch their backs.
It's not the way that anyone should have to live their lives
Just waiting till eventually a new free dawn arrives.